RESEARCH UPDATES
28
OCTOBER 2004
Growing hay can be a
profitable way to solve some
key farm issues, according to
Mick Faulkner, from Agrilink
Agricultural Consultants.
In his recent research update
on producing quality hay,
he says that despite it being
capital and labour intensive,
including some hay production
can stabilise productivity and
profitability.
He lists several reasons for
growing hay, including:
n weed control;
n lifting income potential;
n reducing economic loss; from
frost and dry conditions;
n spreading the workload and
machinery usage;
n maintaining the farm
workforce;
n reducing disease carryover
for other crops; and
n reducing stubble for
subsequent crops
However, he cautions that
the market for cereal hay has
become more discerning and it
requires some skill to produce
a quality product.
The quality of cereal hay is a
combination of:
n visual appearance;
n objective measurement
of preference, intake and
digestive value; and
n safety of the product.
He says to get the best quality
there are many factors that
need to be taken into account,
including species and variety
selection, nutritional regime and
soil type, plant density, seeding
time and row orientation.
In addition, weed control,
time of cutting, conditioner and
baler type and curing time all
contribute to improving quality
and reducing risk of market
failure or weather damage.
Mr Faulkner outlines some
objective measurements of hay
quality:
Preference: This refers to
the degree to which stock
is attracted to the feed. It is
conveniently split into two
groups, the attractants and the
deterrents.
Mr Faulkner says there has
been considerable work done
on attractants, in particular
the amount of water-soluble
carbohydrates (WSC), which
appeared to be a key factor in
determining the palatability
of feed for stock. Further
research may eventually lead
to the isolation of specific
carbohydrates and other
compounds.
In contrast, very little work
has been done on deterrents
other than offensive musty
odours.
Intake: This is strongly
influenced by particle size, the
ease of breaking (shearing) of
particles to digestible size and
the amount of fibre present.
An objective measurement
developed by CSIRO
Livestock Industries is the
Shear Test which measures the
energy required to shear hay to
digestible size.
Feed value: The feed value
of hay for cows already
supplied with their nutritional
requirements is most readily
measured by its in vitro
digestibility (IVD). The fibre
fractions ADF and NDF are
also important feed value
measures.
For more information:
Mick Faulkner, 08 8843
4282, faulkner@capri.net.au
By BERNIE REPPEL
NSW Department of Primary
Industries (NSWDPI) specialist
lucerne agronomist Mary-Anne
Lattimore is spot-on when she
points out that good quality lucerne
hay can be worth twice as much
as feed grade hay. Yet Australian
lucerne yields are often poor, and
hay quality variable, resulting in
low returns to growers.
Ms Lattimore wants to do
something about that, turning the
"art" of haymaking into more of
a science, and developing a best-
management package that will help
growers deliver the best possible
product to ensure a profitable
lucerne-growing business.
Over the past six months, Ms
Lattimore and her colleague Libby
Roesner, from Condobolin, have
conducted discussion groups and
case studies with lucerne growers
in some of the major lucerne
growing areas of the northern
region, including Tamworth in
NSW and Gatton and Texas/
Inglewood in Queensland.
Ms Lattimore says that
experienced lucerne growers
tend to consider haymaking an
art, and that it can take years
of experience to develop the
appropriate skills.
"I am looking for information
from lucerne hay growers,
contractors and others in the
lucerne industry around Australia
to help raise the bar, and to turn
the art of lucerne haymaking into a
science," Ms Lattimore says.
"Although there are several,
existing regional publications on
lucerne, there is a real need for one
book that can be used anywhere.
"This book will cover how to
produce the best-quality product,
to ensure a profitable business,
and also investigate experience
with new technology that has been
introduced over the last few years.
"I would like to hear from other
experienced lucerne growers who
are interested in improving
the industry."
While Ms Lattimore's
work, supported by the
Rural Industries Research
and Development
Corporation (RIRDC),
centres mainly on irrigated
lucerne, the GRDC is
investing significantly in
dryland lucerne research.
Prompted by grower
concerns about rising
water tables and widening
acceptance of the need
for ley and phase legumes
in grain farm rotations,
the GRDC is investing
$1.8 million over five years in a
coordinated campaign to expand
the area under dryland lucerne in
the northern grains region.
NSWDPI's Tamworth lucerne
breeder Rex Williams is charged
with the breeding and release of
new lucerne varieties -- for short-
term crop rotations, with enhanced
grazing tolerance or value adding
characteristics -- and research into
making lucerne "easy to establish,
easy to manage and easy to remove".
The GRDC project also involves
Queensland's Department of
Primary Industries and Fisheries
(QDPI&F), while the SeedMark
consortium is responsible for
commercialising new varieties from
the NSWDPI breeding program.
For more information:
Mary Anne Lattimore,
02 6951 2695, mary-anne.
lattimore@agric.nsw.gov.au
Growing hay for profit
and problem solving
Turning hay art into science